Chapter 2109: Taizong Chronicles 51: The Crown Prince

"Fourth Uncle, what has happened in the capital that we've been summoned back to the palace with such urgency?"

At Xiangfu Post Station, located west of Kaifeng, they took a brief rest from their tense journey. After a mouthful of cool tea to somewhat relieve the scorching heat, Liu Wenpeng couldn't help but ask Liu Fang again.

"What, haven't you had enough fun yet?" Liu Fang shot Liu Wenpeng a glance, his expression somewhat stern.

A trace of embarrassment surfaced on Liu Wenpeng's face, and he said with a lack of confidence: "I'm just curious—why did Father summon only me, and not Second Brother?"

Clearly, Liu Wenpeng was not a man without brains; on the contrary, when he did put them to work, he was quite quick. In fact, the imperial edict had only named Liu Wenpeng to return to the capital, without any explanation of the reason, while Liu Fang had merely fulfilled the duty of a "guardian," accompanying and escorting him.

The unusual nature of the situation was already apparent, and by the time they entered the capital's outskirts, the general picture had become clear. Along the way, messengers from the capital continuously reported to Liu Fang—and these were far from being only his own information channels.

The extra people, however, were actually targeting Liu Wenpeng, swarming in like buzzing flies—and Liu Fang swatted them away like flies as well.

According to accurate information from unofficial channels, someone had died in the capital: Lady Chang, the consort of the Prince of Ruyang. Cause of death: assassination. The killer: Liu Wenhuan.

As for the reason Liu Wenhuan killed his wife, everyone was tight-lipped about it, but now that this had actually happened, it naturally shook the entire court. Therefore, this matter could very likely point directly to the end of the Crown Prince dispute—and in terms of sentiment, law, and reason, it was a major political loss.

Liu Fang was, of course, well aware of this, and it was also the reason he strictly protected Liu Wenpeng. He did not want the Emperor's only legitimate son to be disturbed by inexplicable matters before a verdict was reached. Just await the edict—whatever it was, discuss it upon returning to the capital.

"You needn't overthink it! Kaifeng is behind us, and Luoyang is not far now. Once we return to the capital, everything will become clear!" Liu Fang comforted Liu Wenpeng.

Liu Wenpeng nodded. People are sometimes truly influenced by an aura—such as Liu Wenpeng at this moment. Liu Fang rarely saw him so grave and composed.

Luoyang was still Luoyang, with flourishing scenery and bustling clamor as always, but the atmosphere of the court and the palace was clearly different.

Holding his breath and concentrating, he entered Chuigong Hall together with Liu Fang to pay respects to the Emperor. Liu Wenpeng had always held Liu Yang in great awe and reverence, not daring to look at him for long. Liu Yang had likewise always been stern and unsmiling toward the three princes. But now, in the hall, Liu Wenpeng was surprised to discover that his imperial father's gaze upon him was so complex—this was the first time, and it made Liu Wenpeng even more ill at ease.

"Go pay respects to your mother first!" Without saying much more to Liu Wenpeng, Liu Yang directly instructed.

"Yes!" Liu Wenpeng could not have asked for anything better; he breathed a sigh of relief from the inside out. The imperial father always suppressed the youth until he could hardly breathe.

"Sit!" After Liu Wenpeng left, Liu Yang turned his attention to Liu Fang.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Liu Fang behaved with great restraint.

Looking at this fourth brother of his, Liu Yang tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible, but his grim expression truly made it impossible to feel even a hint of ease: "You've worked hard!"

"Your Majesty flatters me!" Liu Fang said.

"How is this child?" Liu Yang pointed outward with his hand.

Liu Fang thought for a moment, then said: "His natural endowments are quite good, but he lacks experience and has insufficient exposure to the world. With more tempering in the future, that will suffice."

"Tempering..." Liu Yang murmured to himself: "This child's disposition is unsettled. Who knows whether he can accomplish anything in the future?"

Hearing Liu Yang say this, Liu Fang was silent for a moment, then said: "Forgive me for speaking bluntly—without having been tested by affairs, how can one accomplish affairs?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yang was startled, his eyeballs rolling twice, a faint glimmer of light emerging in his eyes as he said with emotion: "Indeed, he should experience more affairs!"

"May I ask Your Majesty, what is the matter for which you urgently summoned your servant and Wenpeng back to the capital?" Liu Fang inquired further.

Liu Yang couldn't help but cast a surprised glance at Liu Fang, as if curious whether he had heard not even a single rumor. But the thought lasted only an instant before Liu Yang quickly resumed his stern expression, almost staring at Liu Fang as he said: "Apart from your current concurrent duties, I intend to entrust you with another important task!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Fang raised his head but said nothing, quietly awaiting what came next. Liu Yang did not continue to keep him in suspense, and said in a solemn tone: "Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince!"

At this, Liu Fang's brows knit together directly. His emotional turmoil was presumably just as complex. After pondering for a long while, he asked softly: "Has Your Majesty's resolve already been set?"

At the question, a trace of complexity once again surfaced on Liu Yang's aged face, and he said with a wistful sigh: "I am getting old as well. These years of governing the state—even if I cannot claim to have poured out my heart and blood, I have at least managed to rise before dawn and eat late into the night.

And in these past two years, my body has been somewhat failing me; I cannot help but feel a sense of fatigue. I have held the reins of government for ten years, and in official governance and the people's livelihood, I have achieved modest success. It is time to consider matters of succession.

If I do not establish a Crown Prince and settle the foundation of the state, I fear the court and the country will be unsettled, the nation will be hard-pressed to find peace, and my ears will not find quiet. For the weight of the rivers and mountains of our realm, I must make a decision to reassure the hearts of all within and without—this is also my responsibility."

Such an expression of sentiment was perhaps the first time Liu Yang had spoken it to an outsider, and the first listener was Liu Fang. Coupled with the appointment of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, it was clear that the Prince of Zhao still occupied an important place in the Emperor's heart.

Hearing a hint of sorrow in Liu Yang's tone, Liu Fang could not help but be moved, and called out: "Second Brother, you exaggerate! Your dragon body has always been healthy. The people of the Great Han still need your grace and blessings."

"When the late emperor was on the throne, we ministers often used such words to comfort him as well." Liu Yang waved his hand and said: "I consider myself diligent, having not dared to slacken for decades. But this persistence—how easy has it been?"

Liu Fang boldly gazed at Liu Yang. At this moment, many images surfaced in his mind, and he recalled many past events.

Without even needing to observe carefully, one could see that the current Emperor, Second Brother, had indeed aged. Compared to ten years ago, he was almost a different person—especially his appearance, which had greatly declined. Yet it was precisely on the current Liu Yang that Liu Fang unexpectedly saw a shadow of Emperor Shizu. It was also the first time Liu Fang felt unreserved admiration for this imperial second brother.

Liu Yang continued: "I know that these ten years have been hard on you. You are a mighty eagle, meant to soar through the skies. Even within your fief, you could have spread your wings and achieved great deeds—yet you have been trapped in this gilded cage of Luoyang.

Even if you harbored resentment toward me, it would be understandable." "Your Majesty flatters me!" Hearing these words, Liu Fang could hardly hold himself together and immediately declared: "Your servant harbors absolutely no resentment!"

Liu Yang waved his hand again, looked at Liu Fang, and said in a frank tone: "For many years, I have been pondering the intent behind the late emperor summoning you back to court before his death, but I have never been able to fathom it.

But now, I have come to see things differently. Regardless of what the late emperor intended, I am determined to treat you as the pillar of the Great Han.

Wenpeng—I entrust him to you."

Liu Yang's words could be described as heartfelt and sincere. However, after all, these were words spoken from the mouth of an emperor—how could they be taken entirely at face value, especially for someone in Liu Fang's uniquely sensitive position? Therefore, he remained very cautious and did not dare to rashly promise anything.

As if hearing Liu Fang's inner thoughts, Liu Yang said with a composed expression: "I know you have concerns, but what I have revealed of my heart today can be attested by the sun and moon, and witnessed by heaven and earth.

I do not expect you to be as unreservedly devoted to me as you were to the late emperor. I only ask that you remain as you have always been toward the Great Han. This foundation left by Father—whether you or I, no matter what, we must guard it well!"

Liu Yang's words ended there, and after gazing at his imperial elder brother for a long while, Liu Fang rose and knelt in a deep bow, saying: "Your servant's heart toward the Great Han can likewise be attested by the sun and moon, and witnessed by heaven and earth!"

Liu Fang was a man of honor, his words ringing with conviction. Thus, even if his words still contained some reservation, Liu Yang no longer minded.

"You've been traveling hard for days on end. Return to your residence and await the edict!"

"Your servant takes his leave!" Seeing this, Liu Fang did not linger.

From beginning to end, Liu Fang never asked about the turmoil in the capital, and Liu Yang never brought it up either—as if establishing the Crown Prince and making Liu Fang the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince were decisions he had arrived at entirely on his own.

Jinlan Hall was the bedchamber of Noble Consort Zhao. Not long after Liu Fang and his nephew Liu Wenpeng returned to the capital, the Noble Consort anxiously invited Zhao Kuangyi and Zhao Dezhao to the palace.

Inside the hall, the usual serving palace attendants had been dismissed far away. Three people surnamed Zhao gathered together—the three most prominent figures in status and power within the Zhao clan.

However, the three of them gathered together now looked as if their father had just died, the atmosphere exceptionally oppressive. And the always arrogant, overbearing Noble Consort Zhao had finally become like a little woman, sobbing and weeping.

But Zhao Kuangyi and Zhao Dezhao both sat there in silence. Finally, it was Noble Consort Zhao who could not hold back, and she tearfully appealed to Zhao Kuangyi: "Third Uncle, Wenhuan is still under house arrest at the Court of the Imperial Clan, Liu Wenpeng has been urgently recalled to the capital, and the Murong family is stirring restlessly. What should we do..."

Facing Noble Consort Zhao's expectant gaze, Zhao Kuangyi at this moment felt only emptiness. He could neither advise her as tirelessly as he once had, nor offer a solution. In the end, he sighed and said: "Things have come to this—await the edict and act accordingly!"

"Noble Consort, please be at ease. This old minister will take his leave now." He slowly rose, bowed to Noble Consort Zhao, and then walked away at a measured pace.

Noble Consort Zhao stared blankly at Zhao Kuangyi until he had walked far away before snapping back to her senses and calling out: "Third Uncle..."

However, Zhao Kuangyi did not answer, walking away without the slightest reluctance. Seeing this, a change flickered across Noble Consort Zhao's face, whose youthful beauty had long faded. She looked toward Zhao Dezhao with some unwillingness: "Eldest Brother!" Zhao Dezhao did not meet the Noble Consort's gaze; a faint bitter smile even appeared at the corner of his mouth as he sighed: "You needn't worry too much. At the very least, Wenhuan will not be in trouble!"

Liu Wenhuan naturally would not be in trouble—but the position of Crown Prince, which they had fought over for so many years, was about to be handed over to someone else. Whether it was Zhao Kuangyi, Zhao Dezhao, or Consort Zhao herself, they all knew this in their hearts.

"Damned slut!!!" Not long after, the sound of Consort Zhao completely losing her composure and cursing furiously came from within Jinlan Hall.

Unlike the bleak and anxious atmosphere within the Golden Orchid Hall, the Kunming Hall where the Empress resided was filled with joyful cheer—no need for lanterns and festoons; one only had to look at the smile that Empress Murong could not contain on her lips to know.

It was precisely from his mother's mouth that Liu Wenpeng learned what had actually happened. His eldest brother, Liu Wenhuan, had killed his wife—and the reason for killing her was that his wife, Chang Ying, had committed adultery with a guard.

The gravity of this matter went without saying, and its effects had already become apparent. It could be said that Liu Wenhuan's already-low odds of winning the succession struggle had been directly reduced to zero. Setting aside other matters, there was one point: over the years, Chang Ying had borne Liu Wenhuan two sons, Liu Jiyuan and Liu Jiming—whose seed were they, exactly? And that was merely one of several intolerable reasons.

Before Liu Wenpeng, Empress Murong showed no restraint whatsoever, sneering at Noble Consort Zhao and her son. One had to know that Noble Consort Zhao had once grandly arranged for Liu Wenhuan to marry Chang Ying, a talented woman renowned throughout the capital, and had repeatedly brought the mother and son before her to show off. Now it had been proven that this was nothing but a wanton, faithless slut—how could this not delight the Empress?

Were it not for fear that word would spread and anger Liu Yang, Empress Murong would have wanted to hang lanterns and festoons, beat drums and gongs to celebrate. Of course, Empress Murong still possessed basic rationality—such a scandal of the imperial house could not be gloated over too openly; watching the show was enough.

Of course, the most gratifying thing was that after Liu Wenhuan's "self-detonation," no one could any longer obstruct Liu Wenpeng, the legitimate son, from ascending to the position of heir apparent.

This point was the most crucial of all.

On Zhao Kuangyi's side, after returning to his residence, he still found no peace. Quite a few people came to him seeking advice on what to do—these were all people who had been stoking the "stove" of Liu Wenhuan.

Yet toward these people, Zhao Kuangyi no longer had any intention of winning them over; he directly drove them away. Then he summoned his eldest son, Zhao Dechong, a Registrar of the Ministry of Justice, to drink with him and get thoroughly drunk.

————

On the first day of the seventh month of the tenth year of Yongxi, Emperor Liu Yang held a grand court assembly at the Qianyuan Hall, proclaiming to the realm the edict establishing the Emperor's third son, Liu Wenpeng, Commandery Duke of Taiyuan, as Crown Prince, bringing an end to the decade-long succession struggle of the Yongxi reign. After an interval of forty-four years, the Great Han Empire once again welcomed an heir—the fifteen-year-old Liu Wenpeng.

Of course, before the formal establishment, Liu Yang had also convened his ministers for a series of formal deliberations. However, unlike any previous occasion of endless wrangling and mutual attacks, this time the "legitimate-son faction" held the initiative entirely, for the Emperor's will was already perfectly clear.

As for the eldest imperial son, Liu Wenhuan, Prince of Ruyang, he was "lodged" in the Court of the Imperial Clan for two months before being released, judged to have contracted "delusional disorder," and arranged to convalesce at his princely residence.

As for the death of the Princess of Ruyang, née Chang, it was officially classified as "death by illness." Of course, matters were not so simple. Members of the Chang clan—especially those who had been promoted because Chang Ying married Liu Wenhuan—were successively demoted, and Chang Ying's father, Chang Kun, drowned not long afterward. This time, the Chang clan was utterly ruined, with no possibility of recovery.

With the Crown Prince established and the Eastern Palace properly positioned, the political landscape of the Great Han inevitably underwent changes. Providing Crown Prince Liu Wenpeng with Eastern Palace officials and guards was only proper. Liu Yang appointed Zhao Wang, Liu Fang, as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, Wang Yucheng, Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review, as Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, and Grand Academician Wang Dan as Guest of the Crown Prince.

At the same time, the Yongxi political landscape meticulously constructed by Emperor Liu Yang was thoroughly shattered. First, Chancellor Zhao Kuangyi was stripped of his chancellorship that very winter and forcibly retired, while those meritorious nobles and bureaucrats of the "eldest-son faction" were also successively demoted.

When Liu Yang made up his mind, he tended to carry things out thoroughly, without the slightest hesitation or half-measures. By the autumn of the eleventh year of Yongxi, at least within the central government, Liu Wenhuan's influence had been almost completely swept clean. The Zhao clan, which had been prominent for decades, also suffered a heavy blow—not to say utterly prostrate, but their withdrawal from the "front line" was set in stone.